The Art of Sacrifice
by KuraKitsune
Summary: Xover with YYHINU&SUKISHO. Pairings are KagKur, SoraSunao. WARNINGS: AlternateUniverse, YaoiShounenai. Chapter 2 now up! Sora, Sunao, and Matsuri have been kidnaped and Kurama is attacked, only to discover Shippo missing the next morning.
1. Michiyuki

This is a new story, however it's probably not going to be posted in the Inuyasha section for much longer. This is going to be a tripple crossover involving Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Sukisho. Most of you have probably never heard of or watched Sukisho but I like it so I decided to try a crossover with it. The only reason I'm putting this in the Inyuasha section now is because this is a Kurama/Kagome and the first chapter starts with them. However, I should warn you. Forget everything you've read about Inuyasha or YYH. Both universes are Alternate Universe. Kagome and Kurama's past has nothing to do with the shows so please keep that in mind when you read this. The first chapter is going to be quite confusing. There are going to be a lot of unanswered questions, but they will be answered later in different chapters. After all there wouldn't be much of a plot if I told you everything now, ne? Anyway, I will give you some background information to satisfy you guys at the end of this chapter, okay? It will answer some questions, but not many, just some background stuff that you are allowed to be aware of. A **warning** if you will. **If you don't know anything about Sukisho you may not understand this story.** That's why I'm probably going to post this in the Sukisho section later once it actually gets to the Sukisho parts, which is the next chapter. I suggest watching the episodes so you are aware of that plot since my story will end after the events of Sukisho. It's only 3 DVD's and you can buy the box set really cheap. If you can't do that, I'm sure you can find some place to download some episodes or even search for basic backgroun information. Also, another warning. Sukisho is a totally Shounen-ai story, meaning it's love between two boys. There are no female characters at all so as you can guess the main pairing is between two guys (Sora and Sunao). So if you are offended or do not support love between two boys, don't even think about flaming me later for having any kissing or something. It'll be your own fault and I'll simply laugh at you for being weaklings who can't handle a little kissing between guys. What a silly thing to be afraid of. Anyway, so I'm going to stop rambling now so you can start reading the story. I'm sorry my Kurama/Kagome fans who enjoy all my other stories, but this one just wanted to be written so badly. Forgive me for once again starting a new story. Believe me I am working on updating them all, I just wanted to see what kind of response I get for this. It's going to be outrageously different than anything I've written and it's going to have a lot of angst and plot twists. Well, see ya' at the end. Hope you like!

One more thing, follow the hidden numbers throughout the story and they will explain things that you might not understand at the end.

Pairings: Kurama/Kagome, Yoko/Kaname, Yoru/Ran, Sora/Sunao/possibly Matsuri. I do so enjoy threesomes and Matsuri would be left out without his best friends.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, YYH, or Sukisho, nor do I own the song "Michiuki". It's from the anime Loveless and is very beautifully sung. I have a fetish for sad songs, it seems.

* * *

"Michiyuki" 

Chapter 1

"I'll be right there, 'Rama-kun, I'm just going to put Shippo-chan to bed," a woman with long black hair and calm blue eyes whispered sleepily as she carried her sleeping son into his beautiful blue room, a room that had been painted with loving care by a small red haired child and the man she was secretly hoping would soon become a permanent fixture in their tiny home...or at least more than he already was. After all, Kurama had been with her for more than an eternity. They just hadn't taken that one final step, the one that would fully complete their bond and unite their souls as husband and wife.

Beside her, a red-haired man adorned with stunning green eyes and a body that would shame the gods stopped in the doorway of their son's bedroom and shot the pretty woman a smile filled with love, adoration, and the promise of erotic happenings should she finish with her nightly rituals soon enough. He watched her silently as she laid the child in his bed and ran a hand through his long bangs before going to the closet and pulling out some of his night clothes. She began dressing her son for bed before she paused and lifted her head when she felt her lover's eyes upon her person and couldn't help but blush at the picture he created as he stood there immersed in the shadows of the hallway. All she could see were his intense eyes and flaming hair, and in that moment he looked every bit the embodiment of a phoenix rising from the ashes and he looked utterly delicious standing there. Was it perhaps ironic that it was she who was a phoenix (1)...at least partly. Even so it was hard to believe this stunning man had once been a scared little boy that never spoke a word unless in her presence, a boy she had protected from the first moment she met him and would continue to protect as long as she lived. Not only did her instincts demand it of her, but she also shared a bond with him that went beyond any physical need.

"Okaa-san," Shippo's voice drifted into her senses, breaking the temporary spell over her and Kagome turned her attention from her dreamy male companion and onto her drowsy son. Her eyes fell soft and for a moment flashed a pale purple before turning back into their normal aquatic blue. Shippo's eyes were barely open and Kagome could just barely make out a slimmer of aqua beneath his fluttery soft eyelashes. "Will you sing me a song? I can't sleep without hearing one."

"Sure, baby." Kagome smiled gently at him, moving to sit with him on his bed and running a hand through his hair once more as she hugged him close to her warm body. She chuckled and gave a lazy sigh when he curled up in her arms and opened his eyes wider, staring at her pleadingly before letting out a smile that showed off his two sharp canines.

"Now which one would you like to hear, Kit-chan (2)?" Kagome asked using her pet name for her son, aptly named since he was a kitsune, and she would never admit it but she secretly enjoyed this particular nightly ritual. She shot one more maternal smile at her son before glancing curiously at the elegant male, a questioning look in her smoky, blue eyes. She gave a soft sigh when she noticed the almost distant look in his eyes, whereas before his eyes had been filled with love and tenderness.

But just like always his head was tilted at an angle and his eyes were shaded by his fiery red bangs and she was sure that beneath his eyelids was a slight golden sheen beginning to overlap the green. Kurama was forcing himself into the background again, most likely hoping Yoko would take control so he wouldn't have to listen to her song. Kagome gave a little sigh of disappointment that her intended was once again missing out on the nightly lullaby, but understood in her heart that Kurama still wasn't healed from some of the grievances in his past. And for some strange reason, her singing always caused him to cry. But she always let it go, knowing deep down that he would come around one day, that he was a survivor like her and would one day learn how to deal with his past. She too had had a rough past..it's just that there was a distinct difference in their personalities. She had a stubborn streak as wide as the widest ocean and had always been the one protecting Kurama, knowing that if she failed him, both their lives would be over. No, she would always be strong...for her Kurama.

Still...

"Won't you join us tonight, Kurama? You know Shippo enjoys hearing you sing as well."

The answer was in his glowing eyes and she looked down, not at all surprised when he whispered a small, "no thank you, not tonight". The same as it always was.

Well...she had tried. It was all she could do until he was finally ready to accept his past as it was. But until then she would not rush him. She loved him too much to cause him any kind of pain. But perhaps Yoko would allow her to sing for him later (3). Yoko, Kurama's demon counterpart, the one currently half in control of the body, adored her singing and would often let her sing to him when the human side of him was 'sleeping'. He too had been through hell and back, but remained much stronger than his human counterpart in some areas. She had come to know Yoko very well, both through her own counterpart's memories and through her own experiences with the silver kitsune as well.

"Mommy, will you sing "Michiyuki (4)?"

Shippo's answer was typical. This was a song Kagome knew by heart, having heard the lullaby many thousands of times in her head when Kaname had been trying to put her to sleep as a baby. Later, Kagome had begun to sing it as well whenever she was comforting Kurama. True, it was a sad song but for some reason Shippo loved it and almost always asked for it.

But in Kurama's case...well let's just say that it didn't bring as much comfort as it did when he was a child.

It was true. As much as Kurama enjoyed hearing his woman sing, this particular lullaby he knew she was about to start somehow always drove him to tears and always succeeded in bringing back memories long suppressed and thought forgotten. Kagome's singing was often filled with both despair and comfort and her sweet, husky voice was perfect for causing certain emotions to arise just from hearing the sultry, but sad words. Kagome's words filled him with both fear and happiness, but just like always he just could not stay and listen. Not just yet. Maybe one day, but right now; he really didn't wish to listen to her song. He didn't want to shed those tears. He had to be strong for Kagome. It was his turn to protect her this time around and he could not burden himself by crying. Before his eyes could fill with the beautiful, crystalline tears waiting to be shed he leaned down and whispered to her, managing to keep his voice relatively free of any sadness.

"Don't take too long," Kurama mumbled. He couldn't resist nibbling along the crest of her seductive collar bone, smirking when she let out a soft "oh". Kurama smiled at her one more time and drew back, stroking Shippo's hair a few times before proceeding back into his own bedroom to prepare for bed.

As soon as Kurama stepped out of the room, Kagome began her song.

(5) _Setsunasa no kagiri made dakishimete mo_

_Itsu made mo hitotsu ni wa narenakute _

Shippo sighed sleepily and hugged his mother close, enjoying the sweet, but altogether depressing words floating about the room.

_Yasashisa yori fukai basho de _

_Fureau no wa itami dake _

Why was this Shippo's favorite? Kagome had asked him that before and honestly he had no one straight answer to give her. He enjoyed it for lots of reasons.

_Futari wo musunde kudasai _

_Bokura wa mou yume wo minai _

First, because it was the first song she'd ever sung to him. When he first came to live with her he had been so afraid that someone would come steal him away from his new home, a home that was already filled with more warmth than the young kit was used to. Their house may have been quite small, but both Kurama and Kagome especially had possessed more love between them than many of the adults Shippo had the displeasure of meeting. And although Kurama had yet to claim both he and his mother fully, Shippo had always seen Kurama as his father. But it was his new mother he had fallen in love with instantly. That first night had been one of the scariest and also one of the happiest events he had ever experienced. He had awakened from a nightmare only to have his new mother standing over him, stroking his hair and whispering soothing words to him. To stop his shaking she began to sing ever so softly, this same exact song, and from that moment on Shippo was hooked. She had been so warm, so caring and she treated him as if he was her real son. And for that, Shippo was very thankful for. He would be lost without her.

_Tomadoi nagara te wo totte_

_Zankoku na yoake no hou e _

The second and probably most important reason he enjoyed this song, was simply because his mother possessed a voice that would put any tenshi, fairy, or siren to shame. When she sang, Kagome's voice was filled with such emotion that it was impossible to believe half of her was only human. Of course Shippo had heard Kagome's other half sing this before and understood it to be a curse of sorts, used to seduce prey and put them under a spell...if they wished it to be used in such a way (6). But Kagome never used it like that. Perhaps Kaname (7) had in the past, but never Kagome, never his mother. She was too good, too pure to ever truly harm someone using a song. As he understood it, Kagome had only used this song as a means to help Kurama sleep at night when they were little. He knew a bit about their past, but only the things his mother wished him to know; that there were bad people in this world and that they had tried to exploit both she and Kurama, but that they had escaped a long time ago. Shippo wasn't stupid. He knew there was probably a lot she hadn't told him, but he never pressed her for answers, mostly because he knew she didn't like to talk about it. She was a strong person, both in body and in spirit, and had even taught him how to defend himself should he ever find himself in a desperate situation. But even then...Shippo knew his mother would never be far behind. She had told him a long time ago that she was always with him, that she would always find him, and that if anyone should ever manage to steal him away that she would come for him. And he knew her words were true.

_Aruki dasu_

Kagome's eyes flashed a light lilac color and a moment later her voice began to combine with another's forming a rather pleasant duet and before long Shippo closed his eyes and blinked one last time before succumbing to slumber. Kagome knew the instant her son's breathing evened out that he was asleep. Still, she continued singing content simply holding him close.

* * *

_Meanwhile_

Kurama's head quirked to the side when he heard the soft, melodic crescendo of his lover's voice as she sang to their child. Yes, their child. He rather liked the sound of that. No, Shippo was not his child, not by his own creation in any way. But nevertheless, Kurama cared for the little boy greatly. It was hard not to. Shippo was such an adorable and sweet child, though he could be extremely mischievous when he wanted to be. Kurama smirked, secretly pleased that his child was so smart. After all, it wouldn't do for a kitsune kit to be so serious all the time.

_Of course he's smart. No son of mine would ever not be, _Yoko commented to him and Kurama chuckled. It was amazing that a demon who had once been quite cold hearted had come to care so deeply for the small child...and of course the child's mother.

Sighing with the sudden rush of tiredness that swept through his body, Kurama flopped down on the kind-sized bed, now dressed in sweat pants and nothing else. His red hair fanned out all across the bed, trailing over the covers like spilled red wine.

It seems that no matter how many times he reminded her that they were safe now, that in this place they could be together without the threat of someone taking away their happiness, Kagome was still quite paranoid that someone would discover their continued existence. It had turned worse lately as she had commented that she thought someone was following her. Of course Kurama had his suspicions and was torn between believing that someone was truly stalking her and wondering if someone was just playing with her. After all, there were several other trusted people that knew the truth behind their sheltered lives. But still, they had been running for so long and after so many years of being together it was hard to believe that their pursuers had given up so easily. _Naraku...damn you._

Kurama gave a minute shudder, memories flashing through his mind of a small black-haired girl pushing him and several others away and into the arms of the people responsible for keeping him alive and giving him new life, the ones who had taken him away without another thought, leaving behind the one person who had always protected him.

The red-haired male shook his long, nearly waist length hair and his emerald eyes gleamed with renewed pain, sorrow, and regret as he tried to remind himself that Kagome was here now, that she would always remain by his side. He would never doubt her, not ever.

Green eyes remained closed, though he desperately attempted to keep himself awake for his lover's arrival. His efforts were in vain and he awakened hours later as the bed shook when a certain blue-eyed woman crept into bed, long hair draping over her bare shoulders as she leaned across him and wrapped an arm around his torso. He purred drowsily and drew her closer until her head was resting on his chest. One of his hands was entwined within her rich, raven black hair, while the other lay across her bared hip and thigh. He could feel the bold flush of naked flesh, but surprisingly his only thoughts tonight were of holding her tight and sleeping soundly. After all there really was no better place in the world than in the arms of the woman you were in love with, even if he wasn't currently making love to her. And it had been a long hard fight to get to where they were.

Of course they lived in a tiny house.

Of course they lived in a tiny community where people who liked to keep to themselves.

Of course they lived alone, preferring to blend in with the crowd so as not to draw attention to themselves.

Who wouldn't be living like this when they were still trying to escape the past? Kurama knew one day it would be better, that all of the pain would go away. Kagome was already healing, having come to terms with their predicament years ago. But that's the way the woman was. She was always so determined and headstrong, not one to give up on anyone or anything that seemed like a lost cause. She and Kaname, her own counterpart, were strong, both together and individually and Kurama knew she would never know how much his life depended on her presence. He may very well have succeeded in killing himself all those years ago when she had disappeared from his life for a certain period of time. He had never told her he tried to kill himself, but he suspected she already knew and didn't want to question him about it. After all, Yoko had put a stop to all his attempts years ago, forcing Kurama to continue on so they could see her again.

And when he was lying like this, immersed within the comfort that was Kagome, he could be free. He was no longer burdened by the evils in his past or his counterpart's past. Whether he was making love to her or simply holding her, in her arms was where he belonged.

_She looks lovely like this...doesn't she? _Yoko commented to him, both watching through combined eyes as Kagome sighed happily in her sleep and snuggled even closer. Even though it was Kaname who first stole Yoko's heart, the silver kitsune had fallen in love with Kagome a long time ago, not bothered in the least that his mate was in the body of another. At first Kurama had found it a bit strange, but he too had come to love Kaname just as much as Kagome (8).

_Aa, _Kurama agreed, strengthened by the presence of his demonic counterpart. He absently ran a hand through her hair while his thoughts turned to his demonic counterpart. Yoko had always been a source of comfort to him even when he was a child. Most people would find it strange to be a host for a long-departed demonic soul, or would think themselves insane. But not Kurama.

Because Yoko had protected him whenever Kagome was incapable of it. Because Yoko had taken every beating and punishment enforced on the softer human side of his soul, knowing that his human counterpart would never be able to survive some of the horrendous procedures forced upon them as children. Because Yoko was strong where Shuichi was weak. And because without Yoko, Kurama would not exist. Kurama was a demon with strength of character, mind, body, and soul. Together, Shuichi and Yoko were known as Kurama, an almost unbeatable demon able to stand up to any and all things dangerous and unknown.

If only the people around him bothered to realize that inside the body of a demon, lay a human child who still feared the world, who simply knew how to hide his fear better than anyone. It was behind Kurama's stony presence, that Shuichi was able to hide the truth and to deal with his past. It was here where no one could find his true insecurities.

"Don't worry, 'Rama-kun, you are safe now," Kagome mumbled in her sleep, awakening just enough to pear into his face.

Well most everyone. But not Kagome. She had always had the uncanny ability to read him, she just never pressured him about it. She was perhaps the only one that would truly be able to understand. "(9) Na-chan says for Kurama to either go to bed or bring out Yoko-kun so at least _I _can get some sleep."

Kurama couldn't help but chuckle at the woman's rambling, realizing that she really must be tired for Kaname's presence to be breaking through. At the moment Kagome wasn't strong enough to let out her counterpart in full demon form. But she could, for a certain period of time, allow Kaname to take over their body. The couple continued to lay in peaceful silence before Kagome let out a huff, eyes flashing light purple a few times before settling on her radiant blues.

"Kuso, now I can't sleep," she muttered, sitting up and grumpily positioning Kurama's body so he was turned more into her.

"Well in that case," Kurama stated roguishly, rolling the woman over until she was placed gently on her back, "if I can't sleep and you can't sleep..."

Kagome smiled coyly up at her beautiful Kurama, urging her hands up and into his hair so she could tug his body down upon her's. "Perhaps we shouldn't sleep together." She kissed him once, lightly, chastely, teasingly. "At least not until much later."

* * *

Well that's it. Now...if you were good little readers and read the Author's Note stuff you will know that you were supposed to follow the numbers down the page. They should answer some questions for you and give you a better overview of things. 

1.) Kagome's demon half is a phoenix, much like Kurama's demon half is a kitsune

2.) Kit-chan-Yes, Shippo's still a kitsune. And this is Kagome's pet name for him which will show up from time to time

3.) Yes, Yoko still lives in Kurama. Yes, he as a bandit and yes he did die. How he and Kurama came to be is quite similar, however it is Shuichi's back story that is changed. His mother was Shiori, but his upbringing was quite different. Yes, Yoko can talk to Kurama and this version of Yoko is going to be extremely, well I don't want to say perverted. Seductive, I guess. He is a true kitsune who is deeply in love with his mate. More on that part later. Just know that he is entirely dedicated to her and that he craves no other.

4.) "Michiyuki"-I found this song to be quite sad but very beautifully sung as I was going through and watching the anime "Loveless". I won't use the whole thing in this chapter, but the verses will be spread out in each chapter.

5.) First verse translation-

"Even if we hold each other until we begin to ache,  
We can never become one.  
In a place deeper than tenderness,

Touching brings only pain.  
Please bind the two of us together;_  
_We no longer dream.

Taking each other's hand hesitatingly,

We walk towards_  
_A cruel dawn."

6.) My idea for the song. It is a curse when sung a certain way, but right now Kagome is simply using it to put Shippo to sleep. But when her counterpart uses it, watch out! The woman can seduce anyone using this song and she uses it to put a trance on her victims. What she does with her victims...well I haven't decided yet. Many possibilies there. Whatever it's use, it can be used for good and bad, remember that.

7.) Kaname-Kagome's counterpart. Like Yoko, Kaname is a part of Kagome. She is Yoko's true mate, but I haven't totally decided on her past yet. There are many possibilties, but I want to choose the best one that fits this story. She can be rather cold, but she loves her mate very much and she is a strong individual, wise yet saddened by her past. She and Kagome are very close, much like Yoko and Kurama are. When Kaname is in control, her eyes glow a lilac purple. I haven't decided on her demon form just yet so I can't tell you anymore on that. But her eyes are different from Kagome's. They are almost always sad but hardened in a way, whereas Kagome's are either blank, wary, or soft. Kagome's eyes change a lot while Kaname's almost never change. There is a reason behind this but that means you'll have to read to find out more. Kaname is one demon you'll learn to love. There are many sides to her and her past is almost as shadowed as Yoko's.

8.) It is true that Kaname is Yoko's mate, but Yoko loves Kagome as well...since she is a part of his mate. Kagome is the only female Kaname is willing to share with...especially since it goes both ways. Kagome and Kurama are in love and live together but they are not married or mated. Yoko and Kaname mated in the past before their death and still bare their marks, but Kagome and Kurama have yet to mark each other and complete their own bond.

9.) Na-chan-Shippo, Kagome and Yoko's nickname for Kaname. Kurama rarely uses it, because it reminds him of the past. Don't ask where that name came from, I just threw it in there.

10.) Okay, let's see, here are some other Japanese words that have been used or may show up from time to time.

Okaa-san-Mom, mommy, mother.

Kitsune-Fox

Tenshi-Angel

Aa-Yeah, yes.

Tousan-Father

Hai-Yes

Gomen-Sorry

Gomen Nasai-Very sorry

Aishiteru-I love you

Matte-Wait

Minna-Everyone

Well...I hope that answers some of your questions or at least makes you less confused. I will warn you again. Please, please, please go watch the Sukisho episodes. If you don't you really will be lost and I don't want to spend my time analyzing the whole story for you. Although the anime is relatively short, it has some plot twists that take awhile to explain. If you really want to know, here is a link to one of my posts in my livejournal. It was written awhile ago, but it has the basic background information on Sukisho and it will probably aid you, while making you quite confused at the same time.

Oh and one more thing before I go. Sorry to make Kurama seem so sad and pitiful, but you'll understand what happened to him as the story goes on. His past is very sad and his human half is afraid of virtually everything. When he is Kurama he can hide his feelings very well, but occassionally he will slip up. When that happens Yoko usually takes control of their body or Kagome has to sing to Kurama to get him to calm down and sleep. You'll see...probably in the next chapter. Don't worry. Kurama will keep healing as the story goes along. Also, Sora and Sunao are going to make an appearance in the next chapter, as well as Matsuri, but it's not going to be a pleasant reunion as they all get stuck in a place that haunts Sunao and Sora.

If you want to find out more about Sukisho, please visit my livejournal. I have written basically the whole plot in my most recent journal entry. Scroll down a little bit and you'll find the information on Sukisho. It'll at least give you a picture of what these other characters look like. Hope it helps a little bit.

Please read and review

Ja ne

Kura


	2. When Life Knocks You Down

Konnichi wa minna! I finally finished with the second chapter and I'm pleased to see it's a little bit longer than the first chapter. I have now added in the Sukisho part of this crossover and I've actually added quite a bit of information about the anime within this chapter. So even if you didn't get a chance to watch Sukisho this should at least give some some background information to ponder. Also, thank you for reviewing. I got some great reviews but I want to see some more, so keep 'em coming people. Hope you like this chapter.

* * *

_Yoko and Kurama talking or thinking_

When Life Knocks You Down

Chapter 2

_What the-? _A boy with sky-colored hair and matching eyes to boot jerked his head up, surprised when he winced at the pain that arose with such a hurried motion. His eyes remained shut while he gently probed his forehead and almost instantly discovered the source of his pain, a small lump on the side of his temple. Yep, someone had definitely knocked him out. But why? And who did it? If he didn't know any better, he would think Fujimori had hit him again. The pink haired pretty boy had a tendency to do that whenever he thought Sora was being stupid. But what reason would his almost-but-not-quite lover have for hitting him now? He _had _just rescued him from an insane, psychopathic scientist who had been trying to use the two as lab rats for some strange and quite bizarre experiment (1).

But if it wasn't Sunao, who else would have the guts to even attempt to hit him and not expect repercussions to come from such actions. Anyone else he would have just beaten them up. His next thought was that perhaps Matsuri had hit him with the door again as that occurred at least once daily when the blond took it upon himself to burst into his shared dorm room with Sunao only to act surprised when they didn't respond as 'cheerfully'. But if that was the case than he should have been lying in a soft bed by now, not on ground as hard and as cold as granite. It was strange, but it almost felt familiar in a way, like he'd slept like this before...before...well before the last few years or so.

It didn't take a genius to realize he wasn't anywhere near where he was supposed to be.

Honestly, why did his life have to be so complicated? It seems like just yesterday he was a typical Japanese high school student, well as normal one could get, he supposed, especially if you had no parents and, oh yeah, you didn't remember a thing about your childhood or that one of your past best friends was left behind to be raised by a cruel man who then exploited said best friend's hatred of you because you let go of his hand and thus left him behind. Except that he remembered everything now. Between nearly stabbing Shinichiro and finally coming face to face with his created counterpart, Yoru, he had finally accessed the memories Sunao had desperately wanted him to remember. It was hard sometimes because in a way, he didn't exactly feel like the old Sora. It was like having two sets of memories living inside your head.

(2) He remembered Sunao and Matsuri, before Matsuri had move with his family overseas. He remembered forming an everlasting bond between he and Sunao before both boys were suddenly ripped from the orphanage they had been living in and tossed into the extreme world of science. He remembered wakening in a steal room only to find Sunao crying in his sleep beside him. Their bond only grew from there. He remembered his first meeting with Aizawa and the menacing glee in the scientist's eyes as he mockingly informed them why they were there. He remembered every single time Sunao would come back from the experiment rooms, his head wrapped in bandages and, even worse, that eerie, vacant look in those soft pink eyes as they gazed at him blankly. He even remembered creating Yoru as a means to both cope with what was happening and later to help protect Sunao. And of course he remembered their last day together when Shinichiro had barged into their tiny, bleak world in an attempt to rescue them both. He remembered the terrifying thrill of running away and the hope of finally having freedom. He remembered grabbing his friend fiercely, trying to urge the short, pink haired child to run faster. He remembered when Sunao tripped...the look on Nao-kun's face as he desperately told his 'Kuu-chan' not to leave him. And yet he had. Aizawa had commanded Sora to let go and so he did, forgetting his friend even existed and destroying his best friend from the inside out. It was a wonder his friend could even stand to look at him now. How could he ever forgive himself for forgetting about the wonderful boy? How was it that Sunao could still profess to having feelings for him when there was such a lack of trust on both their sides to begin with? Was their really any hope of ever having a full and loving relationship? Either way, Sora guessed it was time for them to really talk about the past as well as what might lie in the future. There must be things Sunao had been waiting to tell him. And there were things Sora desperately wanted to tell him in return.

But right now, Sora really needed to get his head on straight and figure out where he was first. Rubbing his head, this time with less vigor, the blue-eyed boy opened his eyes, blinking at the deserted scene he was met with. Two beds with lumpy, cold mattresses and one tightly sealed door. There was a small window located nearby but it looked a bit too tall, even for him, to see out of. A moment later, blue eyes just a few shades lighter than his hair, widened as his mind was overloaded with past memories of remaining trapped in a room such as this. His mind screamed at him. Why was he here once again? Hadn't this place burned down? It had only been a day since Sunao's rescue (at least he hoped so) and the last thing he remembered was finally settling himself into his toasty-warm bed, snuggled close to his precious Toushizo, Sunao sleeping snugly in the bed next to his. Wait...Sunao! Where was he?

Sora groaned and glanced around worriedly.

"(3) Nao-kun!" Sora shouted, slightly relieved when he spotted his pink-haired roommate passed out and slumped against a dingy wall. Sora's eyes softened. Even though Sunao's hair was all mussed and his face was a bit dirty, the boy still somehow managed to look good. He was wearing his school uniform, though it too was falling apart in places, appearing as if he had been struggling with someone.

Getting up gingerly and satisfied when he could feel no other pain than the one in his head, he half walked-half crawled over to the beautiful boy and kneeled beside him, gently placing a hand upon his cheek and patting it to awaken the other boy. "Fujimori-kun." He gave a slight gasp when his friend began moving, fluttering his pretty lashes.

"H-Hashiba," Sunao whispered blearily, opening his eyes and giving a start when he saw the other boy so close to his face. His cheeks blushed a light mauve color and he hurriedly looked away before Sora could read his embarrassment and thus tease him about it. But a moment later his pink eyes widened in fear at what he discovered, suddenly wishing he hadn't been so hasty in looking away from the blue-haired boy. He trembled as he spoke. "Hashiba, where are we?"

Sora's face was grim as he sat back on his heels and swept an arm out. "Can't you tell?"

Sunao opened his mouth to demand more answers, but gave a start when the faint sound of keys unlocking a door called to his attention.

At that moment a door was slammed open and both boys let out a startled cry, automatically latching onto each other as they had in the long, previously forgotten past. At the loud banging sound, Sora drew a shivering, frightened Sunao into his arms and both watched helplessly as a familiar blond was thrown through the doorway carelessly. The door was slammed shut an instant later, preventing them from seeing out into the hallway beyond (4).

"Matsuri?" Sora and Sunao called together, terrified to approach their friend in his unconscious state. The blond haired boy did not stirr and he appeared to be bleeding from a slight wound on his forehead. His blond hair lay clumped and unclean around his body and Sora knew his friend had seen better days. "Matsuri-chan?" Sunao whispered again, clutching tightly onto Sora's shoulders. Unable to stop himself, Sunao left the safety of his friend's arms and crawled over to the wounded boy.

Unexpectedly, the blond gave a light groan and flipped over, tugging Sunao into his arms and drawing a squeak from the pink haired pretty boy and a growl from Sora. It didn't matter to him whether Matsuri was one of his best friends. Sunao was his and absolutely no one had the right to grab his boyfriend like that. Although...would it really be so bad to include Matsuri? Er. Wait a second. _Did I really just think that? _Sora found himself blushing at the hentaii thoughts. He hadn't even gotten around to discussing his relationship with Sunao yet. He couldn't just go including someone else when he still didn't know where he and his roommate stood at this point in time. Sora's eyes drew together in confusion before he shook his head, mentally reminding himself to speak of this to the pink haired youth later. Oh yeah, they had a lot to talk about.

Sora crept up behind Matsuri and Sunao, the latter now struggling to escape the death grip the blond has placed upon him, and carefully tugged Nao away, though he made sure not to hurt his other best friend either.

"Are you all right?" Sora whispered drowsily, drawing the younger boy into his arms and holding him in the space between his knees. He was suddenly more tired than he realized and his body was aching. Certainly the pounding in his head wasn't doing him any favors either. And so he couldn't resist leaning down and resting his mouth against the soft, slightly bared flesh of skin presented to him. His eyes closed and his lips parted gently across Sunao's skin and he was slightly surprised when the boy let out a shudder and a light moan, though relaxed into the embrace.

"I don't know, Kuu-chan," Sunao whispered, grateful for the strong presence of Sora behind him, even if it did embarrass him a little to be this close to the boy.

"Don't worry," Sora whispered to him. "I'll keep you safe this time."

Sunao, who was still recovering from the shock of yesterday, couldn't help but stiffen at his friend's words. He knew Hashiba meant them, Sunao knew the boy enough to know he wouldn't say such words otherwise. But the pink-haired boy still couldn't hold back the fear racing through his veins, the fear that still continued to haunt him endlessly, the fear of being left behind again. After all, even if it truly wasn't Hashiba's fault, it still hurt knowing you were once forgotten by the one person you always cherished above all others and who you thought cherished you just as much.

As Sunao slipped into a light, dreamless sleep, his last thoughts echoed in his heart and consequently out loud as well. "Don't forget me," he whispered hoarsely, tears gathering and billowing along the crest of his eyelashes. "Please, don't forget me this time, Kuu-chan." Sora must have heard him for he lifted his head briefly before lowering it again, placing a gentle kiss on his Koibito's cheek.

"Never again. I will remember you...always."

* * *

Something was wrong. He sensed it the moment the silence in the house grew too sharp, too concentrated, too...weird. It was as if something terrible was about to happen...or worse, already had. Startled a bit by the stale feeling in the air, Kurama bolted straight up, not even bothering to see if he woke his mate in his hasty movements. But fortunately, the woman simply shivered a bit after losing some of her heat source and turned over, curling up into a ball and consequently pulling the covers off himself. At any other time, Kurama might have had fun teasing her about being a blanket hog. But right now he didn't give a damn about anything else but finding out what felt so...clearly wrong.

Kurama didn't know when exactly the sensation had hit him; a distinct calling that left him feeling as if he were not alone. It had only been a few hours since he and the equally exhausted Kagome had finally slipped into the welcoming realms of sleep. Tired, sated, and utterly exhausted from their brief but wonderful bout of lovemaking both lovers had curled up together and drifted off, only for the red headed male to awaken a few hours later with the distinct impression that something was not quite right with the world. And that's when he'd sensed it; a noticeable foreboding chill hanging in the air, something that automatically caused his shoulders to stiffen and his brain to reel out of control as his mind began imagining all the horrific possibilities.

_Kurama...you're right. Something is definitely wrong here. It feels like...someone has been here recently, someone dark and full of malicious intent, _Yoko's voice washed over him, thus bringing all of Kurama's worst fears to the surface and confirming the fact that there was indeed something foreboding about. _I feel as if someone has been watching us, but I can't tell who they are or what they might be. Their energy is...chaotic and hard to read. There are so many emotions being emitted, it's hard to get a fix on them._

_And you're just sensing it now? _

_I _was_ sleeping too, you know, _Yoko remarked roughlyand Kurama gave a mental wince when Yoko's anger washed over him, knowing inwardly that it wasn't the time to be blaming his counterpart. _So don't go blaming me for your own failure._ Kurama sighed and ran a nervous hand through his slightly ratty hair. It wasn't that he totally blamed Yoko for not watching over their home. After all, his senses were trained just as well as Yoko's and he too should have been aware of any disturbances within his household. It was just that in situations such as these, where Kurama became overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty, he had a tendency to strike out at the wrong people. He'd even done it a few times to Kagome, though both times he'd quickly been on the receiving end of her own anger, only she had _had _a right to her rage. And besides, right now was not the time to be pointing fingers.

First he had to check the house and make sure things were safe. After that he would check along the grounds outside before double checking the inside again. After all, he would feel a whole lot better knowing the person watching them never actually made it inside.

With that decision made the kitsune sat up determined to find out what was wrong. He moved just enough not to awaken his beloved and silently climbed to his feet. Staggering unexpectedly, as though he'd just drank a case of beer, Kurama recognized the sluggish nature of his normal gate, realizing even he himself felt off balance. _What's going on?_ _Why does even my body feel so...unbearable cold tonight? _Kurama questioned his counterpart. _Can you feel it too, Yoko?_

_I don't know, but be on guard. Something bad is about to happen._

Kurama let out a subconscious shiver at the ominous tone in Yoko's voice. When he finally got his bearings straight, he began a small walkthrough of their home, starting with his own room. Emerald eyes swept over his snoozing mate one last time before they narrowed and searched every nook and cranny of their room, searching for anything out of place or order. It was a good thing both he and his mate didn't have a lot of personal items, just a few photographs scattered here and there and their own separate closet of clothes. It helped that both of them were clean people anyway, so it was relatively easy to notice if anything seemed off balance. He gave a soft sigh of relief upon finding nothing displaced and set about searching the rest of the house. The guestroom was small and only filled with a bed, a mirror, a closet, and two chests of barren drawers. Nope, nothing there. As he was walking down the hallway, intending to search the kitchen and the front entryway, something caught his attention. Shippo's doorway...it was cracked slightly. Instantly Kurama's body stiffened with fear. Shippo always hated having his door propped open at night. Because of the nightlight Kagome had installed in the hallway, Shippo was unable to sleep unless he was immersed in total darkness. Somehow managing to dash to the room and keep himself as silent as possible, Kurama peered in and gave a soft sigh of relief when he spotted a tuft of his son's hair sticking out from the mass of pillows and stuffed animals lining his bed.

_Hmm, well perhaps he got up to get a drink or go to the bathroom and simply forgot to close his door, _Kurama thought, though to his knowledge that had never happened before. Stepping out into the hallway, Kurama carefully closed Shippo's door all the way and then began mechanically walking through the rest of the house, searching for even one shred of evidence that someone had entered his home. When he was satisfied that things were secure inside he hesitantly opened the back door and crept outside, fighting down the bitter cold in his bare toes as they collided with icy-cold grass. It seems he had forgotten to put on slippers in his haste to protect his precious family. But he could live with numb feet for the rest of eternity if it meant keeping them safe.

(5) Once outside, Yoko and Kurama combined their senses with Yoko manipulating his energy to the surrounding forest, both calling and seeking out any energies that seemed threatening. Kurama's eyes turned slightly gold as they continued expanding their energy, and he even went as far as pulling out a rose just in case he found himself in a situation where he had to use it.

_Let's see..._Kurama murmured inwardly. He first sought out Kagome's large aura, which was easily on par with his own. As per usual the colors of it were blinding and interchanging, but they remained steady in her unconscious state. Kaname's energy was blinking at him and it appeared she was more aware than Kagome was at this point, but had not fully awakened yet. She must have felt Yoko's energy disappear from her side. If he didn't want to worry her, they should be getting back to bed soon in case Kaname decided to 'wake up' and come after them.

_Have you felt anything unusual, Yoko? I'm not feeling anything at this point. Perhaps the stalker was only here to observe? _Kurama guessed. _I don't feel so oppressed out here, so it's possible that whoever was watching us decided to leave when he felt us awaken._

_Could be._

Kurama dutifully continued his walk around the perimeter a few times before Yoko finally became agitated. _Shuichi..._he fairly whined. _It's freezing out here. Can we please return to our mate before my tails begin to freeze and fall off. _Normally not one to complain or to let impatience rule his emotions, Kurama was a bit surprised at the demand. Yoko was normally very cold and cunning. He'd been known to wait for hours on end, waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in and capture his prize.

But if he were being honest and more at ease with the situation at hand, Kurama probably would have been complaining as well, considering he was the one who currently couldn't feel his feet. As it was he was too worried about earlier, though he couldn't resist picking on the silver a little bit. _Poor Yoko. Oh, to be a lowly one-tail again, _the red-head mocked, holding back the snicker when his inner kitsune growled.

_Oi, _Yoko barked. _I'll have you know that even if I somehow lost all my tails and my strength, it would still be enough to whip you, you baka human!_

Kurama smirked to himself when Yoko shut off the link between them. He shook his head and began the long, cold trek inside. _I swear. Sometimes Yoko acts just as young as Shippo, sometimes even younger. _

_I heard that, _Yoko muttered before closing the link once more.

_Speaking of Shippo...did I just feel his energy spike? _Kurama though worriedly._ I better check on him, make sure he's not having another nightmare._

Concerned when Shippo's energy kept increasing in intensity, the red headed pretty boy completely missed the rising energy that came out of nowhere, blind siding him and forcing his head to spin wildly out of control. And yet, the attack was not one he could see. In fact...was that...a chant he heard? It almost sounded as if someone was...singing (6). Either way, he didn't have much time to think about it. Because one minute he was inside the house and making his ways back towards Shippo's room and the next he was lying flat on his back, rubbing his head and having no memory of either falling down or having tripped. _What the-? _Kurama glanced up unexpectedly, feeling a bit of warmth upon his shoulder. To his amazement the sky was slowly expanding its color. The sun; it was already rising! Just how long had he been out? It had felt like only five minutes had passed from the time of the attack until his coming-to, but from the position of the night sky, it appeared to be a much longer time frame. The thought renewed all his worst fears.

There really had been someone watching; but watching what and who and why? And how had such a devastating attack been possible? Where had the energy come from and where had it been hiding? And why hadn't even Yoko, with his claimed 'superior' senses, been able to discover the stalker's hiding place. There were just too many questions needing to be answered and right now Kurama just wanted to lie back down and sleep. He was so tired. That was until he heard a loud feminine cry from down the hall. It was coming from their bedroom!

"Shippo!" Kurama sat up, alarmed when he heard his mate's voice raised in a combination of fear and anger. Swallowing the lump of despair and forcing back the migraine and the sickening feeling that he'd been outrageously wrong with his previous assumption, his head shot up just as Kagome tore out of their room, blue eyes blazing with alarm as she threw open the door to Shippo's room. Kurama could only watch in stunned horror as his mate's eyes flashed and then filled with tears of agony. She let out a soft keening, slightly wounded sound before she collapsed to her knees. "Oh Kami!" she cried, lifting her head, eyes staring blankly at him. "My baby! My baby Shippo's gone!"

* * *

...Meanwhile...

At that exact point in time, a small kitsune who had previously been awakened by some stupid cloaked _thing_, was carelessly tossed into a small room which oddly smelt of chemicals, humans, blood, and salt. The strange smell was overpowering to his senses and Shippo's anger could not be contained. He was ever so grateful his tail was hidden in his human concealment spell or it would have been lashing out in anger.

"OI! Just who the hell do you think you are coming into my home and stealing me away from my Kaa-san?!" He yelled at his kidnapper, who now appeared to be one of his jailors as well. "Do you even know what will happen to you once she finds out I'm gone? She's going to kill you, you stupid troll! So you should just let me out of here before I use my own Foxfire on you and roast your ass!" Okay...so if his mother were here she would definitely scold him for using such language. But little Shippo was mad, no, he was _furious!_ Not only had he been awakened in the early hours of the morning, in the midst of a pleasant dream filled with candy and ice cream and chocolate no less, but he was then told by that same _thing_ that he was "going to go on a trip". Of course Shippo is no baka. He may be naive when it comes to a lot of things, but he could never claim to be a total fool. After all, look who his parents were. And for that matter, look who their counterparts were. And so of course the first thing he did when said person had told him that, was to laugh and say, "that was a good one, now try again." The person then had the nerve to let out some kind of strange energy, the same kind his mother made when she was singing, which had temporarily caused his body to go into paralysis-mode. And so then he'd had no choice but to be carried off into the night, carried none too gently by his captor until they'd reached some strange, hollowed out building some few miles down the road where he was now sitting inside a small room with barely any light and containing odd smells that made his tummy hurt (7).

"Shut up, kid! Quit 'yer whinin'. What's your mummy going to do to us? Ooh, I'm so scared," a second guard mocked, laughing callously at the shivering kitsune. If only they knew Shippo was shivering from anger, not fear...well maybe just a little fear. But he'd been damned if he admitted it to these creeps.

Determined to be strong and unknowing that he wasn't alone in the small room and that all three previously sleeping tenants were now awake and even more confused than ever, Shippo stood on steady legs, making his way over to the door. "Hey you!" Shippo called to Guard #2, which Shippo cheerfully renamed Scarface because of all the ugly markings on the guy's stupid face, stopped laughing, though he still looked amused.

"Yeah, what kid? Come to tell us more about your mother? Well I have news for you, runt. She'll never find you here. And even if she did, no woman would ever be smart enough to get past us. Besides, why would she come after you anyway? You're nothing but a worthless child."

"Shut up," Shippo whispered, looking down.

"You know it's true. She doesn't want you."

"Shut...up," Shippo growled, eyes filling with unshed tears.

"After all, how is it that she allowed you to be taken anyway? Wouldn't she have tried to save you if she'd known? Perhaps she knew and just wanted you gone so she could finally be rid of you."

"Shut up!" Shippo finally screamed, a few tears managing to escape and burn a blazing path down the slope of his cheeks. Apparently he startled the guard for their eyes met and clashed and Scarface probably would have shivered if the glare on the little tykes face had come from an adult (oh if only he knew).

"My mother will come for me, I know it." Shippo finally spoke, raising his head even more. "And when she does...she will make you pay. She and Kurama both!"

"Hmph, we'll see," the guard muttered before moving off a bit in annoyance and totally annoying the small boy.

Now that his anger was partly subsided, Shippo realized he had no idea what to do or how to get himself out of this hopeless situation. Growling and rubbing his temples in a thinking motion, one he had adopted from his mother whenever she was annoyed at something, Shippo sat down and rested his head in his hands.

However...one thing caught his attention. Or should he say one smell, or perhaps three smells if his nose was any good; smells that probably should have registered on his senses way earlier than this.

"Ano, who are you?"

Shippo let out a tiny shriek of fright and nearly flipped head over heels in his haste to turn his body. Somehow managing not to land on his head, the small lad unfortunately landed rather hard on his back, directly underneath the gazes of three male adults.

* * *

Yeah, I had to end it there. The next chapter will definitely be Shippo's rescue and I'm going to try to keep the rescue relatively short. And wait till you see who does the rescuing. As I've done in the previous chapter, I posted a few numbers throughout the story, though there should be a few less than the last chapter.

1.) This is directly after the events in Sukisho, like the day after. So I'm sorry if there are any spoilers for you all, it's just the way my story has to be written. Sora and Sunao are not fully in a relationship yet, mostly because they haven't discussed their feelings with each other but hopefully they'll at least start talking soon.

2.) Most everything in Sora and Sunao's memories were mentioned or seen in the anime. I simply took each defining moment and broke them down so you get the basic facts straight and more from Sora's point of view than Noa's. I didn't make their back story up so all of those things occurred in the real anime.

3.) As I'm sure you've seen, both Sora and Sunao call each other by different names sometimes. Fujimori is Sunao's last name and Hashiba is Sora's. But a long time ago, when they were still kids, Sora was called Kuu-chan and Sunao was called Nao-kun. Occasionally I'll switch things around. For the moment, they will probably be calling each other by their last names, but as their relationship grows, I'll eventually add in their pet names.

4.) I know Matsuri was never involved in the original kidnaping, I simply wanted to throw him into the danger of it all. He's usually so bright and cheerful and I wanted to write him in this kind of situation. Oh, he'll still be a pretty happy guy, don't worry about that. As for the pairing with him, I still haven't decided if I'm going to throw him into the mix. Maybe, maybe not, I guess we'll see. Oh, and keep in mind that things aren't always what they appear. You don't know who took them so who's to say it's Aizawa? Just be aware of that little tidbit.

5.) Because Yoko is a kitsune and their powers have a lot to do with energy and auras and stuff, I had a feeling Yoko is like an empath in a way...a person who can feel and identify another's feelings just being peering into their aura. Think about it, he has to be adept at studying auras and things, otherwise how did he get so good at breaking into places and uncovering secrets that were covered up by magic? Someone like Yoko has to be able to study energy, plus there's the fact that avatars commonly steal energy from their lovers during mating. So when Kurama and Yoko used their senses, they were sort of doing a mental sweep, checking for any unknown auras or energies. Of course they have their normal Rose Whip and things too, so those attacks are the same.

6.) I'm not going to give you any hints about enemies at the moment, but keep in mind that the person who knocked out Kurama used a pretty unique form of attack. And that's all I'll say about that.

7.) Okay, I know Shippo is slightly out of character with all the yelling and slight cursing, but he does do some name calling now and again in the anime. And keep in mind who his parents are now. They've probably taught him to be strong, so the only thing he's allowing himself to feel right now is anger, not fear.

Okay, these are some other words I found myself using.

Kami-God

Baka-Idiot, stupid

Oi-Hey!

Ano-Um

Koibito-Lover

Koi-Love

Okay, I think that's it. I hope that clears some things up. In the mean time, I have finally figured out Kaname's back ground though you probably won't get any answers for a few chapters. All in all, I think it's one of the best backgrounds I've come up with. I've even figured out her demon form. She will also have really strong mental powers so she'll be a pretty cool person when she finally comes out. And yes, Kagome and Kaname can talk just like Kurama and Yoko. In fact, you'll be meeting Kaname in the next chapter she takes control of Kagome to go rescue Shippo. Can't tell you anymore, that would totally blow it and I haven't written the chapter yet. Oh, and one more thing. Kagome is a miko, I just haven't written anything about that yet.

Well thanks for the reviews. I got some really good ones and more support than I thought I'd get, thogh not as much as I'd hoped for. Hopefully people get more interested in this chapter, especially since I started the Sukisho part in it. Although it's probably because I warned you all to at least have some reconnaissance of Sukisho so you'd be able to understand the plot. Anyway, please continue to read and review.

Ja.

Kura


End file.
